Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1887-09-13
Leader from the Auction Trade
journal for September.

that led to fame or TO ruin; with Ieellngs Oh
unavailing regrets and intens remors many OF
the most talented intellectual champions of
genius and ambition look bas to the hour of
fatal resolution when they took the first false
steps, whilst there rite before them lay the
broad. strait quik asphaltum to early and
magnificent triumph-when they took the big
risks aud the big profits instead of following
the iron rule of close margins and cash before
delivery, they felt fortune slip from their nerv-
les grasp aud in a moment it was too late !!
The ritter deals not with experiment, but eXpe-
ricnce does not talk theory, but eloquent,
mcatax. stubborn facts coiled up in two levia-
thans Of the mercantile lexicon-USDERBur-
uSDERsELi Follow this iron trak. strait as q
ray of life. and the sing-song. thredbare stories
of the hope-from- heaven fellows OF hard
times" <" short crops" and general business
stagnation." will excite simply pity and deri-
sion in the brain of men who mean to win
earnest enthusiasts who recall the financial
crises as stepping stones to greater triumphs-
chivalrous champions who cleve into the dox-
ology of thirty days with perfect precision and
melt down into pulp the ledger cripple as If a
bolt had fallen from the eternal blue.
To the intelligent aspirant aiming high who
command conviction, but these eloquent sledg-
hamers are powerles to him who laks the level
he'd, the honest hart and the almity dolar-of
no avail whatever to the antedeluvian OF one
hundred per cent who piles on the profit until
the land pirates of the ledger. who never in
quirc the price. hav converted his real values
into office bibles, value at the mil two cents
pound! There are plenty of merchants worth
twenty thousand clear who can't do the " net
spot" who can't collect. and hcnc can't pay,
who can't sleep or cat, who Civ mp and rails the
whitc'hag bacause Of pressing dets Of negotia-
bIes of STAYED off executions, of bullion that
must be raid at P. NJ. sharp. Next day this
splendid fellow whose splendid eloquenc makes
the blood boil. is simply nobody, not even his
name and the legal bloodhounds hav control
of his dcd lumber in the shape of lands mort
gagged to the hilt, stores run by cut-throats cald
gentlemen, ledgers and securities and colaterals,
and stox and al the parafernalia of q mcrcan-
tile monstrosity who was " running things for
al they ,oere ,cortb." And yet this magnificent
meteor was full Of fire and genius and ambition,
and oil the elements of success. only he wanted
to do everything at the same time, and spccula-
ton and credit drov him beyond the blak
shadow of oblivion-and who has not felt the
mercilcs grip, the dedly coil and the fatal crush
of the CREDIT KING?
1t is bullion that pulverzes the so-called inn
possibilities that lie in the path of every man.
and it is pluk that changes the ded tide of de-
feat into the cleverest triumphs, and after all
it is unwavering resolution that places these
soldiers of fortune upon the high and honored
pedestal of fame to inspire the lofty ambition
and the hottest aspiration of the unknown he
roes of the future.
The envolop combination, like the oil cloth
collapse. reveals the monstrous monopoly of q
few millions of capital against the vast masses
of consumers; increase Of price asuredly pro-
duces over surplus. this in turn presents two
Acknowledgement Of the ring or the concern.
The world over. the pocket book is the final
arbitcr, and what will ambition not do rather
than surrender" the combine" loses its grip
when enterprise stands face to face with ruin
no man knows his power until desperation
looks him savage and square in the cye-we
fitc these colossal combinations as Hoxic fought
the railroad rockers. as the Third Avenue
Road crushed its mob and the Old Dominion
stranglcd the hoodlum. Fair play and square
fighting viii beat craft and cupidty al day
long. and our quotations have the commanding
ring of the triphamcr. In the annals of MGR
camille crime stands forth that first chief
prime causc-7h Credit Ledger-rank with
rascality-rottcn as punk-as sure and fatal as
death itself. 1t has pulverizcd many n diamond
that should hav adorned mercantile history
shattered and shivercd enterprise that might
have made its broad mark down through these
cventful times-struck and staggered genuine
ability before the htc had fairly begun and the
persistent child of ambition MS he charged
again and again, at last lost hope and hart and
the light went out of his magnificent eye.
Bushes is bushes and time is most precious,
it is a matter most momentous to you whether
you are to be victor or the victim, before you
lay the two roads, one the credit gauntlet, buy
ing such terms you can. paying four
months figures aud selling on limited time at
whatever you chose to aSk-it matters little. il
is all lost anyway-the other path is true. quick
and sure. Ten years will do the ordinary life
time ,rork. they cal it bullion, and as you plank
down the cash. so in turn you demand the self
same omnipotcnt stuff-as you huy bargains,
you sci bn':9nihs-your crowded concern speaks
for itself. means bushes and mOrc-SWccPS-no
niteswets, nor delirutn, not waiting for mite or
praying for morning, not ten per cent. for thir-
ty days--not the wear and tear and swear. the
IVORY and agency of pay day pcrle but simply
on solid merit, a merchant prince. Firm in the
faith that fitcs its own battles, in the magic and
majestik fore of ability, integrity and ambition.
keeping inviolate the iron rules of money do,rn
and Twenty-Five per centum. the battlefield and
the day or yours. and upon your excelsior BAN
ncr you may inscribe in imperishable letters.
that splendid. magnificent word-suCCEs.
To the candidate for mercantile fame these
priceless precepts ar presented. that he may in
early life carve ont his destiny with cash on
hand instead of a safe full of WORTHLESS asets
that lie may profit by the disasters of others
instead of spending a lifetime in learning the
lesson that when n man is down the whole
world will help to crush him-and there ar a
thousand who do so down to Que who energies
unscathcd from the rcck. carnage and ruin of
the ircmcdiable past. who drives onward with
an energy born Of resolution or desperation,
with an ambition that acknowledges any
known law, and an instinctiv pluk that laughs
to dcrision and scorn the bare whisper of COM
petition.
The dntedeluridn must pardon our net spot
t,ccnty:ire per cent spelling. II the fashion
to-tidy-tcH be tho. 6efor 1900, thirteen gears
array. JcTt That tie dg,csiU. sGrngr. rclentles,
circ"inr-sa'r sksinrs OF tnE day rM chop off the
supt7jl'toMS dorm 0"c hdir.
CHARLES BROADWAY RorSs.
Advertised Letters.